unit, according to Notitia dignitatum''. Before the arrival of
Julius Caesar in
Gaul, the Sequani had taken the side of the
Arverni against their rivals the
Aedui and hired the
Suebi under
Ariovistus to cross the
Rhine and help them (71 BC). Although his assistance enabled them to
defeat the Aedui, the Sequani were worse off than before, for Ariovistus deprived them of a third of their territory and threatened to take another third, while subjugating them into semi-slavery. The Sequani then appealed to Caesar, who drove back the Germanic tribesmen (58 BC), but at the same time obliged the Sequani to surrender all that they had gained from the Aedui. This so exasperated the Sequani that they joined in the revolt of
Vercingetorix (52 BC) and shared in the defeat at
Alesia. Under
Augustus, the district known as
Sequania formed part of
Belgica. After the death of
Vitellius (69 AD), the inhabitants refused to join the
Gallic revolt against Rome instigated by
Gaius Julius Civilis and
Julius Sabinus, and drove back Sabinus, who had invaded their territory. A triumphal arch at Vesontio (
Besançon), which in return for this service was made a colony, possibly commemorates this victory.
Diocletian added
Helvetia, and part of Germania Superior to Sequania, which was now called
Provincia Maxima Sequanorum, Vesontio receiving the title of Metropolis civitas Vesontiensium. The southern reach of this territory was known as
Sapaudia, which became the namesake of the later region of
Savoy. Fifty years later, Gaul was overrun by the barbarians, and Vesontio sacked (355 AD). Under
Julian, it recovered some of its importance as a fortified town, and was able to withstand the attacks of the
Vandals. Later, when Rome was no longer able to afford protection to the inhabitants of Gaul, the Sequani became merged in the newly formed
Kingdom of Burgundy. ==Major settlements==